Bristol airport Private parking fines may be unenforceable

Are private "fines" sent by Bristol airport to motorists picking up passengers outside its designated, paid-for, drop-off and pickup zone unenforceable? It certainly looks as though they may be, if an eagle-eyed Guardian reader and a leading consumer solicitor are correctly interpreting the bylaws that govern the airport.

- Miles Brignall

If they are right, hundreds of motorists who paid the £100 demands for stopping outside designated pickup zones at Bristol, and maybe other airports, may be due refunds.

Bristol has denied that this is the case and said it is confident that the contract operates in accordance with the "relevant legislation."

In August, Guardian Money featured the case of Dave Fitzheslop who was sent a £100 demand - later increased to £170 by Bristol airport's parking contractor, VCS.

He had stopped at a red traffic light at the airport on his way to pick up his wife. At that exact moment, he says, she came out of the terminal, spotted him sitting there and jumped into the car. Once the light went green they exited the airport and drove home.

When an enforcement charge notice arrived, he assumed that there had been a mistake as the CCTV photos clearly showed him stopped at the red light. However, his appeal was twice turned down, and the airport has since defended VCS's approach.